


They Are Among Us

by dsa_archivist



Category: due South
Genre: Challenge Response, Drama, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1999-07-27
Updated: 1999-07-27
Packaged: 2018-11-10 12:57:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11127426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dsa_archivist/pseuds/dsa_archivist
Summary: A scary case for Ray Vecchio.





	They Are Among Us

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Speranza, the archivist: this story was once archived at [Due South Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Due_South_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Due South Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/duesoutharchive).
    
    
    They Are Among Us
    by Birgitt Schuknecht
    (birgitt.schuknecht@uni-essen.de)
    
    Author's Note: This little piece was written for the July challenge of
    the ficwrite list (onelist). (Thanks for the inspiration, Karen Manetta.)
    It was fun writing it, and I hope you enjoy the read. Feedback would
    be greatly appreciated. It's a Due South story, and may fit anywhere
    in the time line of the first two seasons. Standard disclaimers apply.
    These characters do not belong to me. Rated: PG-13. Thank you kindly
    for reading this. Birgitt
    July 1999.
    
    Challenge rules:
    
    "Write a story using the following five words:
    1) Star Wars
    2) bleach
    3) Presidential
    4) filter
    5) referee
    Any fandom, any characters. The key is trying to stay under 750 words
    for serious stuff, 500 words for humor." 
    
    "Benny, this isn't Star Wars or Independence Day, it's real life. And
    I have to deal with it." Detective Ray Vecchio of Chicago PD sounded
    at least as tired as he looked. His unofficial partner, Constable Benton
    Fraser, RCMP, was sympathising, but nevertheless merciless, when he made
    clear: "Actually, Ray, it is Independence Day." Ray rolled his eyes heavenwards:
    "And what good does this holiday to me? This is creepy! Four victims
    in only two days. Look at the cases: No clues whatsoever! Any age group,
    even a child, barely a teenager. Murdered for no obvious reasons." Ray
    gave a small shudder, looking even worse then a few minutes before. "Then
    we have a perfectly normal housewife, killed on the steps of her own
    apartment, a pro soccer referee found in an alley only two blocks from
    here and a wealthy businessmen murdered in the presidential suite of
    Chicago's finest hotel." "So your only clue is the fact that all victims
    were visibly maimed, before the attack. Each of them had clearly visible
    bandaged limbs," Fraser pleaded with his friend. Ray slowly nodded. "And
    that fits with the story Markus Garell tells for several days in my neighbourhood.
    He warns against extraterrestrial infiltration and is convinced that
    aliens enter the bodies of the human population." "So?" Fraser was not
    discouraged. "Garell is convinced that they are not used to living in
    human bodies. In consequence they suffer accidents frequently." Ray stared
    at his friend: "Are you telling me, Benny, that this creep believes everyone
    who bumps his head is infiltrated by an alien lifeform?" Fraser nodded:
    "He made that quite clear."
    "And you think he turned killer?"
    "It's not important what I think. It's possible and you should check
    it. There are no other clues." "All right, Benny, this is crazy, but
    I've got nothing to lose here. I'll get the machinery going. " 
    
    Two hours later the two friends witnessed the how Garell was arrested
    for murder. When they came for him, he surrendered without resistance
    and spilled his testimony. He ended with yelling, "I had to stop them.
    They're among us." Ray was relieved that the nightmare was over: "He
    doesn't look like a creep, let alone a killer." Garell was very young,
    barely 25 years old. But his hair was completely white, as if it was
    bleached. It gleamed in the sun, filtering through the window of his
    apartment. "Ray, if criminals..." Fraser was interrupted by Ray's impatient
    gesture. "I know, Benny, I know. But he sure is too young to end like
    this." "He will be much older when he's out of medical treatment."
    "Benny, you're so polite and nice most of the time. But when you say
    things like this, I am sure that there is also something dark in you."
    "Ray, I wanted only to state the fact that he will be treated appropriately
    in psychiatry." "I know, Benny, I understood you perfectly."
    
    The friends spent the evening together at the Vecchio home. Mrs. Vecchio
    was busy in the kitchen with preparations for dinner on a grand scale.
    She'd seen the exhaustion of her spent son and reacted in her normal
    manner. He would feel better after having some home-made pasta. Ray had
    turned on the TV waiting that dinner would be ready. "Basketball," muttered
    the Mountie and left for the kitchen, offering his help, which was heartily
    accepted. When the door bell rang, it was Ray who opened the door. And
    couldn't believe what he saw. Dark guy, wearing dark glasses and a dark
    suit. But the most unusual about him was a bunch of forget-me-nots he
    held in his hands. "Ray Vecchio?"
    The stunned detective nodded: "What is that? Are Fed budgets so tight,
    that you guys are expanding into flower delivery? Where's your obligatory
    partner?" "These are for you." His visitor handed over the flowers and
    was gone the next moment. Then the phone rang. Ray snapped out of his
    shock and picked it up: "Vecchio." His voice trembled slightly. "Did
    you get the flowers? We just wanted to let you know: WE ARE AMONG YOU!"
    And the phone went dead. "Beennnyy!" Hearing Ray's panicked yell both
    the Mountie and Mrs. Vecchio raced to him. "What is it?" Fraser stared
    at the flowers in his left hand, the receiver still in his right. Mrs.
    Vecchio supplied: "You look as if you saw a ghost, caro!"
    Ray was close to tears: "This isn't Independence Day. It's surely Halloween!"


End file.
